Gustavo Gelpí

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Gustavo Gelpí is the youngest United States District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico. He was appointed on August 1, 2006 to a lifetime position by President George W. Bush. Previously he served as a United States Magistrate Judge for five years. During Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Rosselló's second term, he served as Puerto Rico's Solicitor General, and represented the U.S. territory in its unsuccessful effort to obtain in court the presidential vote for its citizens. He is also a former Assistant Federal Public Defender and law clerk to Juan M. Perez Gimenez, his predecessor and now colleague on the federal bench.

Judge Gelpi's was an extremely well-liked and unopposed appointment, both at the national and local level. He received praise from Republicans and Democrats alike during his Senate confirmation hearing, in which he was unanimously confirmed. He was also endorsed by the Hispanic National Bar Association and the Puerto Rico Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

Judge Gelpi was educated in Boston, Massachsuetts. He obtained his undergraduate dergree from Brandeis University in 1987 and from Suffolk University Law School in 1990. He has maintained his ties to Suffolk University Law School, receiving an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree in 2006. He is a Fellow of the Federal Bar Association, and is a past President of its Puerto Rico Chapter. Gelpi is admitted to practice law in the states of Massachusetts, New York and Colorado, as well as in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Because of his relative youth, Gelpí is seen as the current district judge who will have, in the long run, the biggest influence on the Federal bench, since he could conceivably serve for thirty or forty years before retiring.

Immediately upon his appointment to the Federal Court, Judge Gelpi, upon motion granted by the Puerto Rico Supreme Court, successfully petitioned and withdrew his mandatory membership from the Puerto Rico Bar Association, which is required of all lawyers in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Bar Association is known for its history of advocating against the presence of the federal court in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, and its active political stance on various local, national and international issues.

In 2007 Judge Gelpi ruled that a Puerto Rico law requiring a six month residency period in the island to obtain a license to practice medicine was unconstitutional, as violative of the U.S. Constitution's Privileges and Immunities Clause. He also presided over the securities class action litigation involving First Bank, one of Puerto Rico's largest financial institutions. The case was ultimately settled for $74,250,000.00, the largest settlement of its kind in Puerto Rico. In another case Judge Gelpi dismissed a complaint filed by the Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party, who sought to decertify the Puerto Rican Independence Party. Ironically, the Puerto Rico Independence Party purposely failed to appear in court, claiming it did not recognize the federal court's jurisdiction over the matter.

A tall, young and lanky sports enthusiast, he is frequently seen at professional basketball games in Puerto Rico and is an avid fan of the six-time Puerto Rico Superior Basketball League champions Cangrejeros de Santurce.

In his chambers Judge Gelpi proudly displays his extensive collection of basketball memorabilia, which includes the Puerto Rican Olympic team jersey of Jose "Piculin" Ortiz, who gave him the same on occasion of his appointment to the federal bench. In his office walls also hang various autographed movie posters of Oscar winning actor Benicio del Toro, a childhood friend and schoolmate, who in a special video message sent for his swearing-in ceremony proudly highlighted Gelpi's qualities such as love of the law and compassion, auguring that he would be a great judge.